Article carrier having improved locking means

ABSTRACT

A collapsible basket-style article carrier having a bottom panel, sidewalls foldably joined to the side edges of the bottom panel, end panels foldably joined to the end edges of the sidewalls, riser panels foldably joined to the inner edges of the end panels, and handle panels foldably joined to the riser panels and disposed medially of the carrier is provided with an improved setup locking arrangement wherein a locking hook at the bottom end of the riser panels at one end of the carrier is disposed for engagement with the end edge of the bottom panel and is provided with a weakened fold line whereby the locking hook is movable in a transverse direction during the performance of a locking operation thereby to insure secure locking engagement and a fully squared up condition of the carrier when set up.

United States Patent Prentice J. Wood .Ionesboro;

James T. Stout, Doraville, Ga. 834,728

June 19, 1969 Mar. 30, 1971 The Mead Corporation [72] Inventors [2l Appl. No. [22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [54] ARTICLE CARRIER HAVING IMPROVED 113,11], ll5;229/52(BC) Primary Examiner-David M. Bockenek Attorney-Walter M. Rodgers ABSTRACT: A collapsible basket-style article carrier having a bottom panel, sidewalls foldably joined to the side edges of the bottom panel, end panels foldably joined to the end edges of the sidewalls, riser panels foldably joined to the inner edges of the end panels, and handle panels foldably joined to the riser panels and disposed medially of the carrier is provided with an improved setup locking arrangement wherein a locking hook at the bottom end of the riser panels at one end of the carrier is disposed for engagement with the end edge of the bottom panel and is provided with a weakened fold line whereby the locking hook is movable in a transverse direction during the perfonnance of a locking operation thereby to insure secure locking engagement and a fully squared up condition of the carrier when set up.

Patentd March 30, 1971 3,572,542

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 33 35a 34 -35 INVENTORS 35b PRENTICE J. wooo BY: JAMES T. STOUT ATTORNEY QT- so, 1971 Pate nted 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS PRENTICE J. WOOD JAMES T. STOUT ATTONEY FIG. 7

ARTICLE CAlllER HAVING IMPROVED LOCKING MEANS Basket-style carriers are known in which locking hooks are formed in the lower portions of riser panels at both ends ofthe carrier. Such locks are either difficult to engage or, if arranged so as to facilitate locking engagement, these known locks do not hold the carrier in a secure and fully locked condition.

According to this invention, a locking hook at one end of the carrier is specially constructed so as to swing laterally during the performance of a locking operation and then to snap back into the plane of its associated riser panels after a locking operation is completed. By this means, easy setting-up operations are afforded and at the same time the lock is arranged so as to hold the carrier in a secure locked condition against inadvertent unlocking particularly during initial loading of the carrier. 1

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

H6. 1 is a perspective view of a setup carrier constructed according to this invention;

H6. 2 is a plan view of a unitary blank from which .the carrier of FIG. 1 is formed; 7

H68. 3 and i. are fragmentary perspective views of the locks at the ends of the carrier of FlG. l, the lock at the lefthand end of P16. 1 being shown in FIG. 3 in locked condition while the lock at the right-hand end of the carrier is depicted in H6. 4 during the performance of a locking operation;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 depict stages through which the blank of FlG. l is manipulated in order to form the collapsed and completed carrier asdepicted in H0. 7.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a sidewall of the carrier to the bottom edge of which a glue flap 2 is'foldably joined along fold line 3. An end panel 4 is foldably joined along fold line 5 to one end of the sidewall 1 while a similar end panel 6 is foldably joined along fold line 7 to the other end of sidewall 11. A riser panel 8 is foldably joined to vone edge of end wall 6 along fold line 9 and a similar riser panel 10 is foldably joined to one edge of end panel 6 along fold line 11. A first handle panel 112 is foldably joined to a second handle panel 13 along medial fold line 14 and to riser panel 8 along fold line 9.

At the other. end of the carrier a second pair of handle panels designated by the numerals l5 and 16 are foldably joined together along medial fold line 17. Handle panel is foldably joined to riser panel 10 along fold line 11. Handgripping apertures 18 and .19 are formed in the first pair of handle panels 12 and 13 while hand-gripping apertures 20 and 211 are formed respectively in the second pair of handle panels 15 and R6.

The opposite side of the carrier is similar in construction to those portions of the carrier blank described above and cornprises a riser panel 22 foldably joined along fold line 23 to end panel 24 and to handle panel t3. End panel 24 is foldably joined along fold line 25 to sidewall 26. In like fashion, end panel 27 is foldably joined to the other end of sidewall 26 along fold line 28 and riser panel 29 is foldably joined to an edge 30 of end panel 27 and of handle panel 16. Bottom panel 31 is foldably joined along fold line 32 to the bottom edge of the sidewall 26 and the bottom panel is provided with a medial fold line 33 at the ends of which a pair of notches 34 and 35 are formed.

For the purpose of cooperating with the notches 34 and 35 and thereby to maintain the carrier in setup condition, a plurality of locking notches 36, 37, 38 and 39 are formed in riser panels 3, 22, 29 and i0 respectively.

in order to provide transverse separating means for articles disposed on either side of the handle structure, a plurality of straps are provided and in the drawings straps on one side of the carrier are designated by the numerals 40 and 41. Strap 40 is foldably joined to high center portion 1A of sidewall 1 along a fold line 62 and tothe handle panel 12 along the short fold line 63. in like fashion transverse partitioning strap 41 is foldably joined at one end to high center portion 1A of the sidewall 1 along fold line 44 and the other end of strap 4! is foldably joined to handle panel 15 along short fold line 45.

The partitioning straps on the opposite side of the carrier are similarly constructed and are designated by the numerals 46 and 47. Strap 46 is foldably joined at one end along fold line 48 to the high center portion 26A of sidewall 26 and at the other end strap 46 is foldably joined to handle panel 13 along the fold line 49. Transverse partitioning strap 47 is foldably joined along fold line 50 to the high center portion 26A of sidewall 26 at one end of the strap and at the other end thereof the strap is joined to handle panel 16 along fold line 5!.

The aperture designated by the numeral 19 which is formed in handle panel 13 is of a different construction than are the apertures 18, 20 and 21. For example and as is apparent from FIG. 2, a pair of bracing struts 52 and 53 are struck out othandle panel 13 and are foldably joined thereto along fold lines 34 and 55 respectively. As is best shown in FIG. 6 these diagonal bracing struts 52 and-53 are folded downwardly and at the outer comers thereof overlap and are captured between the riser panels. For example, strut 52 is captured between riser panels 8 and 22 at the outer corner thereof while bracing strut 53 is captured between riser panels 10 and 29 when the carrier isformed. These struts substantially increase the strength and sturdiness of the carrier in the region below the handle.

in order to form the collapsed carrier depicted in FIG. 7 from the blank depicted in FIG. 2 an application of glue is made to the blank as indicated by stippling in FIG. 2. Thereafter, the first pair of handle panels l2 and 113 are elevated and swung toward the right simultaneously with the folding of the end panels 4 and 24 upwardly and toward the right along the fold lines 5 and 25 respectively. Simultaneously, the riser panels 8 and 22 are folded upwardly and toward the right along the fold lines 9 and 23, respectively, so that the inner ends of the riser panels 8 and 22 become udhered to the stippled portion at the left-hand ends of the first pair of handle panels 12 and 13. Of course, the parts following this folding operation occupy positions as depicted in H0. 5. The folding action as described thus far is well-known in the art.

ln order .to transform the carrier from the condition depicted in FIG. 5 to that depicted in FIG. 6, the bottom panel 31 is folded along the medial fold line 33 by simply folding the lower portion 33A thereof upwardly and over into flat face contacting relation with the upper portion 338 thereof as depicted in FIG. 6. Simultaneously, the riser panel 10 is folded upwardly and toward the left along the fold line ll so that its inner end is secured in flat face contacting relation to the handle panel 15. Likewise, the riser panel 29 is folded upwardly and toward the left along fold line 30 so that the inner end thereof is affixed to the right-hand end of handle panel l6. The blank then appears as depicted in H0. 6.

in order to complete the carrier an application of glue is made to the blank as indicated by stippling in FIG. 6. Thereafter, the sidewall l, glue flap 2, end panels 4 and 6, riser panels 8 and 10 and handle panels l2 and 15 are folded upwardly and forwardly along the fold lines l4, l7 into flat face contacting relation with the remaining portions of the blank to occupy positions as depicted in FIG. 7 i.e., to form the completed carrier in collapsed condition.

in order to set up the carrier from its collapsed condition as depicted in FIG. 7, it is simply necessary to press inwardly on the end panels 6 and 27 at the fold lines ll, 30 while urging the sidewalls 1 and 26 toward the right. This action causes the locking notch 34 to engage the notch 36, 37.

While the locking notches 36 and 37 are conventional in construction, the locking notches 38 and 33 are specially constructed according to this invention. For example and as best shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 locking notch 36 defines a locking hook 38a which is foldably joined to riser panel 29 along a weakened fold line 38b, Furthermore, the lower edge 360 of the hook 38b is upwardly beveled.

in like fashion the locking notch 39 defines a locking hook 39a which is foldably joined to riser panel 10 along .a

weakened fold line 39b and the lower edge of locking hook 39a is upwardly beveled as indicatedat 39c. Thus with the carrier assembled and with the parts occupying the positions as depicted in FlG. 4 upward motion of bottom panel 31 causes the locking notch 35 to engage the coinciding beveled surface 38c and 39c of the locking hook 38a, 39a and brushes this hook in a transverse direction to one side in the direction of either sidewall l or sidewall 26. This sidewise transverse movement of the locking hook facilitates locking engagement of the end edge portion or notch 35 of bottom panel 31 with locking hook 380, 39a. Upon completion of a locking operation, the locking hook 380,. 39a swings back due to the resilience of the material to a position substantially in the planes of the associated riser panels and 29 to secure the carton in locked condition and the carrier appears as depicted in FIG. 1.

During the formation of the lock, engagement of the cooperating parts is facilitated by the diagonal lines 35a and 35b which initiate transverse folding of the locking hook 380, 39a as is obvious. Furthermore, since the notch 35 engages the locking hook 38a, 390 from below, this engagement is facilitated by the upwardly beveled edge portion 38c, 390 of the hook 38a, 39a.

Thus according to the invention, a carton is provided which is securely locked at both ends and which therefore is necessarily set up in a squared and secured condition wherein the carton is not subject to being easily toppled inadvertently.

The embodiments of the inventionin which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

We claim:

1. An article carrier comprising a bottom panel, opposed sidewalls foldably joined to opposite side edges of said bottom panel, end panels foldably joined to the ends of said sidewalls and extending transversely inward therefrom, medial riser panels foldably joined to said end panels respectively, the riser panels at each end of the carrier being secured together in face contacting relation. a medial multi-ply handle connected at each end to said riser panels, a locking hook formed in said riser panels at each end of the carrier and adjacent the lower ends thereof for respectively receiving an end edge portion of said bottom panel so as to hold the carrier in squared setup condition, and a weakened fold line formed adjacent the base of one of said locking hooks for facilitating the lateral folding of said one locking hook out of its normal position in the planes of said panels in coordination with locking movement of said bottom panel and engagement of said locking hook with an end edge portion of said bottom wall, said one locking hook being returned substantially to its normal position following completion of locking movement of said bottom panel due to the inherent bias of said riser panels in the region of said weakened fold line.

2. An article carrier comprising a bottom panel, opposed sidewalls foldably joined to opposite side edges of said bottom panel, end panels foldably joined to the ends of said sidewalls and extending transversely inward therefrom, medial riser panels foldably joined to said end panels respectively, the riser panels at each end of the carrier being secured together in face contacting relation, a medial multi-ply handle connected at each end to each end to said riser panels, a locking hook formed in said riser panels at each end of the carrier and adjacent the lower ends thereof for respectively receiving an end edge portion of said bottom panel so as to hold the carrier in squared setup condition, and a weakened fold line formed adjacent the base of one of said locking hooks for facilitating the lateral folding of said one locking hook out of its normal position in the planes of said riser panels in coordination with locking movement of said bottom panel relative to said one locking hook, the lowermost edge portion of said one locking hook being of an upwardly beveled configuration to facilitate lateral movement thereof in response to engagement of said lowermost edge portion of said one locking hook by one of said end ed e ortions of said bottom panel.

3. An a re e carrier comprising a bottom panel, opposed sidewalls foldably joined to opposite side edges of said bottom panel, end panels foldably joined to the ends of said sidewalls and extending transversely inward therefrom, medial riser panels foldably joined to said end panels respectively, the riser panels at each end of the carrier being secured together in face contacting relation, a mcdial.multiply handle connected at each end to said riser panels, a locking hook formed in said riser panels at each end of the carrier and adjacent the lower ends thereof for respectively receiving an end edge portion of said bottom panel so as to hold the carrier in squared setup condition, a weakened fold line formed adjacent the base of one of said locking hooks for facilitating the lateral folding of said one locking hook out of its normal position in the planes of said riser panels in coordination with locking movement of said bottom panel relative to said one locking hook, and a locking notch formed in the end edge portion of said bottom panel which is associated with said one locking hook and at least a part of said notch being angularly disposed relative to the adjacent end edge of said bottom panel to facilitate lateral locking movement of said one locking hook during a locking operation. 

1. An article carrier comprising a bottom panel, opposed sidewalls foldably joined to opposite side edges of said bottom panel, end panels foldably joined to the ends of said sidewalls and extending transversely inward therefrom, medial riser panels foldably joined to said end panels respectively, the riser paneLs at each end of the carrier being secured together in face contacting relation, a medial multi-ply handle connected at each end to said riser panels, a locking hook formed in said riser panels at each end of the carrier and adjacent the lower ends thereof for respectively receiving an end edge portion of said bottom panel so as to hold the carrier in squared setup condition, and a weakened fold line formed adjacent the base of one of said locking hooks for facilitating the lateral folding of said one locking hook out of its normal position in the planes of said panels in coordination with locking movement of said bottom panel and engagement of said locking hook with an end edge portion of said bottom wall, said one locking hook being returned substantially to its normal position following completion of locking movement of said bottom panel due to the inherent bias of said riser panels in the region of said weakened fold line.
 2. An article carrier comprising a bottom panel, opposed sidewalls foldably joined to opposite side edges of said bottom panel, end panels foldably joined to the ends of said sidewalls and extending transversely inward therefrom, medial riser panels foldably joined to said end panels respectively, the riser panels at each end of the carrier being secured together in face contacting relation, a medial multi-ply handle connected at each end to each end to said riser panels, a locking hook formed in said riser panels at each end of the carrier and adjacent the lower ends thereof for respectively receiving an end edge portion of said bottom panel so as to hold the carrier in squared setup condition, and a weakened fold line formed adjacent the base of one of said locking hooks for facilitating the lateral folding of said one locking hook out of its normal position in the planes of said riser panels in coordination with locking movement of said bottom panel relative to said one locking hook, the lowermost edge portion of said one locking hook being of an upwardly beveled configuration to facilitate lateral movement thereof in response to engagement of said lowermost edge portion of said one locking hook by one of said end edge portions of said bottom panel.
 3. An article carrier comprising a bottom panel, opposed sidewalls foldably joined to opposite side edges of said bottom panel, end panels foldably joined to the ends of said sidewalls and extending transversely inward therefrom, medial riser panels foldably joined to said end panels respectively, the riser panels at each end of the carrier being secured together in face contacting relation, a medial multi-ply handle connected at each end to said riser panels, a locking hook formed in said riser panels at each end of the carrier and adjacent the lower ends thereof for respectively receiving an end edge portion of said bottom panel so as to hold the carrier in squared setup condition, a weakened fold line formed adjacent the base of one of said locking hooks for facilitating the lateral folding of said one locking hook out of its normal position in the planes of said riser panels in coordination with locking movement of said bottom panel relative to said one locking hook, and a locking notch formed in the end edge portion of said bottom panel which is associated with said one locking hook and at least a part of said notch being angularly disposed relative to the adjacent end edge of said bottom panel to facilitate lateral locking movement of said one locking hook during a locking operation. 